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Google Assistant For More Android Phones

Early this morning (for California), Google announced on their blog the Google Assistant found on the Google Pixel, Home, Allo, and Android Wear will begins to roll out to phones currently running Android 6.0 and 7.0. The easiest way to begin using the Google Assistant on the Pixel is long pressing the home button.

I recently got the OnePlus 3T which runs Android 6.0 out of the box with an immediate update to 7.0, but with a OnePlus launcher on top of the stock Android. With this OnePlus launcher, a long-press of the home button runs a “search” of whatever is displayed on the screen.

JetBlue instagram post

JetBlue instagram post long-press home result

Showing limitations of long-press home search

This might be a lite-version of Google Assistant, but regardless of that, I’m not sure what this official roll out of Google Assistant will change about my OnePlus 3T. I like the long-press doing a Google search, but I don’t really use it right now.

As with the other options currently sporting the Google Assistant, such as Google Home and Android Wear, you can also activate the Google Assistant with “Ok, Google” from any screen or the Google app like you can currently do with Google Now.

Google also announced, at the bottom of the blog post, the Assistant will be coming to TVs and cars. This means people will be able to get directions or search for information about their destination whenever they’re driving without looking at their phones.

Edit for clarity: Some phones are already running Andriod 7.0 like my new OnePlus 3T. The thing I’m wondering is will some features be overwritten, specifically will my current long-press home button action remain the same? Or will OnePlus allow the “Long press action” for the home button change from “Search assistant” to “Google assistant”?